Here Are The 2018 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Award Semi-Finalists

Here Are The 2018 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Award Semi-Finalists

James Beard was a champion of American cuisine and the author of over 20 cookbooks.

The semi-finalists for the 28th annual James Beard Foundation Awards were announced today. The semi-finalists were chosen in 21 categories, from Best Restaurant to regional best chefs. The finalists will be announced at a press conference at Parc in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 14, and the Restaurant and Chef Award Gala will be held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, May 7, 2018. Until then, here are the semi-finalist nominees:

Best New Restaurant

A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

The Anchorage, Greenville, SC

Annette, Aurora, CO

The Blue Hen, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Brewery Bhavana, Raleigh, NC

The Charter Oak, St. Helena, CA

ChiKo, Washington, D.C.

Cote, NYC

Del Mar, Washington, D.C.

Empellón Midtown, NYC

Felix Trattoria, Venice, CA

Grand Café, Minneapolis

HaiSous, Chicago

Henrietta Red, Nashville

Honey Road, Burlington, VT

JuneBaby, Seattle

Kemuri Tatsu-ya, Austin

Kismet, Los Angeles

Lady of the House, Detroit

Les Sablons, Cambridge, MA

Maru Sushi, Honolulu

Maydan, Washington, D.C.

Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago

Osteria Radici, Allentown, NJ

Saffron, New Orleans

Southern National, Mobile, AL

Vespertine, Culver City, CA

Vicia, St. Louis

Xochi, Houston

Outstanding Baker (Presented by Taylor Precision Products)

A chef or baker who prepares breads, pastries, or desserts in a retail bakery, and who serves as a national standard-bearer of excellence. Must have been a baker or pastry chef for at least five years.

A restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in cocktail, spirits, and/or beer service.

Anvil Bar & Refuge, Houston

The Atomic Lounge, Birmingham, AL

The Baldwin Bar, Woburn, MA

Bar Agricole, San Francisco

Bar Clacson, Los Angeles

Bar Goto, NYC

Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu

Canon, Seattle

Clover Club, Brooklyn, NY

Clyde Common, Portland, OR

Columbia Room, Washington, D.C.

Cure, New Orleans

Dante, NYC

Kimball House, Decatur, GA

The Living Room at The Dewberry, Charleston, SC

Lost Lake, Chicago

Manifesto, Kansas City, MO

Standby, Detroit

Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne, PA

Trick Dog, San Francisco

Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters)

A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Eligible candidates must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

Hugh Acheson, Five & Ten, Athens, GA

Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde, NYC

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston

Ashley Christensen, Poole’s Diner, Raleigh, NC

Renee Erickson, Bateau, Seattle

Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC

Sam Hayward, Fore Street, Portland, ME

Johanne Killeen, Al Forno, Providence

David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA

Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

Mike Lata, The Ordinary, Charleston, SC

Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans

Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia, Chicago

Carrie Nahabedian, Naha, Chicago

Alex Roberts, Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA

Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.

Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola, Washington, D.C.

Blaine Wetzel, The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Lummi Island, WA

Outstanding Pastry Chef (Presented by Lavazza)

A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads in a restaurant, and who serves as a national standard bearer of excellence. Must have been a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard bearer of consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Eligible restaurants must have been in operation 10 or more consecutive years.

Balthazar, NYC

Bluestem, Kansas City, MO

Canlis, Seattle

Chase’s Daily, Belfast, ME

Frankies 457 Spuntino, Brooklyn, NY

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO

Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL

Jaleo, Washington, D.C.

Koi Palace, Daly City, CA

Komi, Washington, D.C.

La Casita Mexicana, Bell, CA

Legume Bistro, Pittsburgh

L’Etoile, Madison, WI

Mama’s Fish House, Paia, HI

Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC

North Pond, Chicago

O Ya, Boston

Quince, San Francisco

Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco

Talula’s Table, Kennett Square, PA

Outstanding Restaurateur

A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia (Fork, High Street on Market, High Street on Hudson, and others)

Outstanding Service

A restaurant in operation five or more years that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service.

112 Eatery, Minneapolis

The Back Bay Grill, Portland, ME

Boka, Chicago

Brigtsen’s, New Orleans

Chef Vola’s, Atlantic City, NJ

Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Boston

Hugo’s, Houston

Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier, Washington, D.C.

n/naka, Los Angeles

The Painted Lady Restaurant, Newberg, OR

Palme d’Or, Coral Gables, FL

Park’s Barbeque, Los Angeles

Providence, Los Angeles

The Red Cat, NYC

Saison, San Francisco

Sepia, Chicago

Tony’s, St. Louis

Zahav, Philadelphia

Zingerman’s Delicatessen, Ann Arbor, MI

Zuni Café, San Francisco

Outstanding Wine Program (Presented by Robert Mondavi Winery)

A restaurant in operation five or more years that serves as a standard bearer for excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine.

a.o.c., Los Angeles

Bacchanal, New Orleans

Benu, San Francisco

The Boarding House, Chicago

Bourbon Steak, Washington, D.C.

Corkbuzz, NYC

FIG, Charleston, SC

The Forge, Miami Beach, FL

Great China, Berkeley, CA

Grill 23 & Bar, Boston

The Little Nell, Aspen, CO

Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas

Lucky Palace, Bossier City, LA

Miller Union, Atlanta

Noble Rot, Portland, OR

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Houston

Passionfish, Pacific Grove, CA

Taberna de Haro, Brookline, MA

Vino, Honolulu

Wild Ginger, Seattle

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional

A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the restaurant industry.

Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)

A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Rachel Aronow, The Alembic, San Francisco

Gabe Barker, Pizzeria Mercato, Carrboro, NC

Jay Blackinton, Hogstone’s Wood Oven/Aelder, Orcas Island, WA

Janine Booth, Stiltsville Fish Bar, Miami Beach, FL

Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia

Clare de Boer, King, NYC

Martha De Leon, Pax Americana, Houston

Becca Hegarty, Bitter Ends Garden & Luncheonette, Pittsburgh

Jesse Ito, Royal Izakaya, Philadelphia

Liz Johnson, Freedman’s, Los Angeles

Irene Li, Mei Mei, Boston

Maya Lovelace, Mae, Portland, OR

Daniela Moreira, Timber Pizza, Washington, D.C.

Shota Nakajima, Adana, Seattle

Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room, Omaha, NE

Juan Pedrosa, Yvonne’s, Boston

Maximillian Petty, Eden Hill, Seattle

Sarah Rinkavage, Marisol, Chicago

Lena Sareini, Selden Standard, Detroit

Parnass Savang, Talat Market, Atlanta

Colin Shane, Arroyo Vino, Santa Fe

Brian So, Spring, Marietta, GA

Cara Stadler, Tao Yuan, Brunswick, ME

Alan Sternberg, Cerulean, Indianapolis

Miles Thompson, Michael’s, Santa Monica, CA

Kevin Tien, Himitsu, Washington, D.C.

Jonathan Yao, Kato, Los Angeles

Best Chefs

Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Eligible candidates may be from any kind of dining establishment and must have been working as a chef for at least five years with the three most recent years spent in the region.